Birthday Candles
by ColourBlind18
Summary: Mikan's birthday party was special. Especially the kiss she, and he, will never forget. What will happen in the aftermath of the kiss between the birthday candles?


**TAADAAH! This is**** my new story! It's a Gakuen Alice romance involving Mikan and Natsume. I LOVE this manga and the anime is really good too. The characters are so funny and loveable and I wish I had Mikan, Hotara, Natsume and Ruka as friends! I WISH THIS SCHOOL EXSISTED!DX There will be some Japanese involved but translations will be at the bottom. Enjoy!**

Birthday Candles

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Hotaru, Ruka and Iinchou barged into my room at 6 in the morning. Iinchou jumped on Mikan's bed and started singing.

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Mikan! Happy birthday to you!" Hotaru and Ruka clapped in the background. Mikan got up slowly and rubbed her eyes.

"B… birthday?" Iinchou nodded happily. Mikan suddenly remembered she was going to be 14 today. Mikan's eyes widened with excitement.  
>"Arigatō!" Mikan leapt out of bed and did a little birthday dance. Iinchou and Ruka laughed. Hotaru brought forward something she had behind her back and gave it to Mikan.<br>"We all pitched in and got you something" Mikan smiled at her best friend. She stroked her fingers over the wrapping and bow then ripped the present open.  
>"Waaah, it's so pretty!" Mikan admired the charm bracelet. The silver chain had three small charms attached.<br>"All the charms represent one of us" Ruka told Mikan. Ruka pointed at his rabbit charm.

"That's mine" then pointed at a wretch charm.  
>"That's Hotaru". The last charm was a pair of glasses. Mikan giggled.<br>"And that's Iinchou" Iinchou pushed up his glasses shyly. Mikan looked at her best friends. They were all smiling back at her. But there was someone missing.

"Where's Natsume?" Ruka sighed. He walked over to the window and pointed at the gate. Mikan ran over to the window and saw a small boy standing below the gates. She gasped.

"He's trying to break out again? When will he realise he'll always get caught?" Ruka sighed again.  
>"He'll always try to get out of here" Mikan pushed her face up against the glass.<br>"But all his enemies are out beyond that gate" Ruka shook his head.  
>"His only enemy is this school"<p>

Mikan skipped down the hallway, whistling when she heard an angry conversation coming from one of the classrooms.  
>"How many times have we told you not to try to break out?"<p>

"He's not going to listen to you Misaki"

"We have to try Narumi!" Mikan opened the door slowly to see Natsume slumped in one of the chairs with Misaki and Narumi arguing with him and each other. Narumi turned and saw Mikan at the door. He ran to Mikan.  
>"Mikan-chan!" Mikan giggled. Narumi picked up Mikan and swung her around once. He pulled a small parcel out of his pocket.<p>

"Happy birthday!" Mikan smiled and opened the parcel. It was a beautiful pink pair of bows for her hair.

"For your pretty pigtails" Narumi-sensei flicked Mikan's pigtails and Mikan giggled. The giggling soon ended when Mikan saw Narumi's serious face.

"We're lucky you're here, we were just going to come looking for you. You're the only one who can talk some sense into him" Narumi pointed at Natsume. Mikan stormed over to Natsume and slammed her hands down on the desk. Natsume lifted his head up slowly.  
>"What is wrong with you? Of all days you try to break out on my birthday! Why couldn't you have just been there with Hotaru and the others? No, you had to try and blow up the school gates again, didn't you? Have you anything to say for yourself?" Natsume rubbed his eyes sleepily.<p>

"Happy birthday" Mikan's temper rose to frightening heights. Narumi and Misaki took a few steps backwards.

"Happy birthday? HAPPY BIRTHDAY! THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF! ARRRGGHH!" Mikan screamed in frustration. He really knew which buttons to press. Natsume stood up and walked right up to Mikan. Mikan held her ground and folded her arms stubbornly.

"Sorry" Natsume walked out of the room. Mikan turned to her teachers.

"All sorted!" Mikan smiled and skipped out of the room.

"And he just said sorry. That's it. What is wrong with him!" Mikan was venting to Hotaru on why she was so annoyed at Natsume, her voice echoing around the classroom.

"Give him a break, he hates this school" Mikan looked at Hotaru in disgust.

"It'.birthday" Hotaru nodded.

"I know but Natsume has got a lot on his plate right now since the Academy are stepping up more assignments for him" Mikan shook her head in anger. Why does the Academy do this to him?

"So leave him alone kono baka" Mikan cried out at Hotaru.

"Don't call me that!" Hotaru turned and pointed.

"Ruka, isn't Mikan an idiot?" Ruka smiled.

"Of course she is. She's our idiot" Mikan beamed.  
>"Luca-pyon!" Mikan hugged Ruka tightly. Ruka turned Mikan's head to him.<p>

"I told you to stop calling me that" Mikan smiled at Ruka. Iinchou walked over to his friends.

"So, what are we going to do for Mikan-chan's birthday?" Mikan jumped up.

"We're going to have a small party in the classroom" Hotaru got out her mini clipboard.

"Balloons, streamers and banners are in place, the music system has been set up and food has been prepared. All we are waiting for is the cake" Mikan began another dance.  
>"I'm having a party! I'm having a party!"<p>

"Am I invited?" Mikan turned around to see Natsume standing under a nearby tree. Mikan was in a happy mood and she wasn't going to ruin that by snapping back at him.

"Of course you are!" Natsume gave one of his rare smiles.  
>"Who's going to give you your first birthday dance, Mikan?" Iinchou asked. Natsume stepped out from under the trees.<p>

"I am" Mikan looked at Natsume quizzically.

"You are? Why?" Natsume chuckled.

"Because it's my responsibility" Mikan folded her arms.  
>"What's that supposed to mean?" Natsume sat down onto the ground of the classroom and stared out the window. Obviously he's not going to tell me unless I use force, Mikan thought. So Mikan jumped on top of Natsume and grabbed his hair. Natsume stared at Mikan in shock.<p>

"Look familiar?" Mikan was thinking back to the time Natsume did the exact same thing on the first day she had seen this school.

"Now why are you giving me my first birthday dance?" Natsume spoke with gritted teeth.  
>"I'm. Not. Telling" Mikan gave up due to exhaustion and frustration. Natsume rubbed at his hair. Ruka looked at Mikan and Natsume then burst out laughing. Soon, everyone else joined in on the laughter.<p>

Mikan tried to hold herself back from running down the hall to the classroom where her birthday party was being held. She breathed in and out and ran her hands over her dress. It was a pale pink with thin sleeves that billowed. The dress also billowed with Mikan's every move. She had also had on her favourite ballet pumps in the same colour. Mikan touched her hair nervously. She hoped the bows Narumi-sensei got her looked okay. Mikan reached the classroom and reached for the doorknob. Mikan hesitated from nerves but she threw them away and opened the door.  
>"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Mikan's whole class was there and some students from the high school division like <strong>T<strong>subasa Andō and Misaki Harada. Mikan beamed at everyone who had put in the effort to make her birthday special. Mikan ran to Hotaru, Iinchou and Ruka to give them a big hug. She also hugged Tsubasa and Misaki and Narumi-sensei who was also there. The music began and everyone was dancing. Mikan twirled around in excitement. After completing her twirl, Mikan was met by an extended hand. Mikan looked up to see Natsume bowing. Mikan blushed. "May I have this dance?" Mikan accepted Natsume's hand in hers. "Of course" Natsume lead Mikan out onto the dance floor area and they began to waltz. The song that began was a favourite of Mikan's.

_**The strands in your eyes that colour them wonderful**__  
><em>_**Stop me and steal my breath.**__  
><em>_**And emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky**__  
><em>_**never revealing their depth.**_

"Are you enjoying your birthday party so far?" Mikan nodded enthusiastically.  
>"I'm having so much fun" Natsume smiled slightly. "Good"<p>

_**Tell me that we belong together,**__  
><em>_**Dress it up with the trappings of love.**__  
><em>_**I'll be captivated, **__  
><em>_**I'll hang from your lips, **__  
><em>_**Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above.**_

Natsume twirled Mikan around. "Have you seen your birthday cake yet?" Mikan looked all around her. "No, not yet. Is it amazing?" Natsume nodded. "It looks delicious" Mikan smiled excitedly. Natsume stared at Mikan. "Mikan, do you love me?" Mikan turned quickly to look at Natsume. She blushed then began an exaggerated laugh. "H… ha. I… I mean, why do you ask?" Natsume tilted his head slightly. "One man once said 'Love is being stupid together'. You're stupid" Mikan frowned at Natsume. Natsume dipped Mikan and looked deep into her eyes. "Does that mean I have to be stupid too?" Mikan stared at Natsume in disbelief. What was he implying? That he… no, he would never. Natsume pulled Mikan up and began dancing again.

**_I'll be your crying shoulder  
><em>_I'll be love's suicide _****_I'll be better when I'm older, _****_I'll be the greatest fan of your life_.**

Mikan didn't enjoy this silent dancing. She looked at Natsume and tried to encourage him to say something to get out of the awkward silence. Natsume cleared his throat.

"What will you wish for when you blow out your candles?" Mikan smiled.

"That's a secret. I can't tell you other wise it won't come true" Natsume grinned.

"Then I'll guess. Does it involve Hotaru, Iinchou or Ruka?" Mikan shook her head.

**_And rain falls angry on the tin roof__  
><em>_As we lie awake in my bed.__  
><em>_You're my survival, you're my living proof.__  
><em>_My love is alive - not dead._**

"Does it involve Tsubasa Andō or Misaki Harada?" Mikan shook her head again.

**_Tell me that we belong together.__  
><em>_Dress it up with the trappings of love.__  
><em>_I'll be captivated,__  
><em>_I'll hang from your lips,__  
><em>_Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above_**

"Narumi-sensei or Misaki-sensei?" Mikan laughed then shook her head.

"What about me?"

**_I'll be your crying shoulder,__  
><em>_I'll be love's suicide__  
><em>_I'll be better when I'm older,__  
><em>_I'll be the greatest fan of your life._**

Mikan blushed. Natsume was an important person in her life and she cared for him deeply. But was it love?

_**And I've dropped out, I've burned up, I've fought my way back from the dead.**_**_  
><em>_I've tuned in, turned on, remembered the things that you said_**

"It is, isn't it? Wow, what is the wish? I have to know now" Mikan shook her head profusely.  
>"You will never know" Natsume poked Mikan's side.<br>"You're evil" Mikan grinned devilishly but inside she was all knotted up. Did she love Natsume more than a friend?

**_I'll be your crying shoulder,__  
><em>_I'll be love's suicide__  
><em>_I'll be better when I'm older,__  
><em>_I'll be the greatest fan of your..._**

Natsume looked at Mikan curiously. What was she thinking about? The wish? That involved him somehow. He was really curious about that. He had ideas but were they the wish, he didn't know. Natsume saw Mikan looking at something behind him so he turned. It was Tsubasa Andō and Misaki Harada kissing. Kissing? That was the wish! Natsume grinned.

**_I'll be your crying shoulder,__  
><em>_I'll be love's suicide__  
><em>_I'll be better when I'm older,__  
><em>_I'll be the greatest fan of your life._**

Why's he grinning, Mikan wondered. He saw me looking at Tsubasa-senpai and Misaki-senpai. But that probably has nothing to do with it.

**_The greatest fan of your life.__  
><em>_...greatest fan of your life._**

Natsume twirled Mikan one last time. Mikan clapped her hands together.

"That was fun!" Natsume nodded in agreement. Narumi called out from the back of the room.

"Time to light the candles and sing to the birthday girl!" Mikan jumped up and down excitedly. Narumi rolled the cake in on a table and placed it in front of Mikan. Natsume stepped to the side then positioned himself in front of Mikan on the other side of table. Narumi pulled out a box of matches and lit the cake. The cake was amazing. It was chocolate all around even the icing. The top of the cake had 'Happy Birthday Mikan' written in icing on it. The lights dimmed and Narumi counted to three.

"Ichi, ni, san!"

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!" Mikan looked around at everyone's smiling, singing faces. She was so happy she could burst.

"Happy birthday dear Mikan! Happy birthday to you!" Everyone clapped and cheered. Narumi nudged Mikan's arm.

"Make a wish!" Mikan leaned forward over the table and breathed in. Natsume suddenly had an amazing idea. Natsume leaned forward as well.  
>"MAKE A WISH!" everyone shouted. Mikan closed her eyes and put her wish in her head and pursed her lips. She blew out her candles but also had a huge surprise. Natsume leaned into Mikan and placed his lips on hers. Mikan thought to herself.<p>

_Is my wish coming true already?_

**Arigatōgozaimas!(that means thank you very much! I think.) this is the first chapter of the story and if it gets good reviews, I'll keep going. Hopefully you enjoyed it and will keep reading. I also have another story, Saved, a Dramione(Harry Potter duh!). Loveyouall, peace out!**

**Song used – I'll Be by Edwin Mccain (heard in A Cinderella Story)**

**Translations**

**Iinchou – Prez/President **

**Arigatō**** – thank you**

**Chan**** (e.g. Mikan-chan) – informal, affectionate suffix like a close friend or brother/sister etc.**

**Sense****i- teacher**

**Kono baka- you idiot**

**Baka – idiot**

**Luca-pyon – luca hop (he loves animals and carries a bunny round with him, hence the hop)**

**Ichi, ni, san – one, two, three (numerals)**


End file.
